policy agenda. >> what was hillary clinton's initial reaction when you told her, look, they're actually considering you as a possibility for secretary of state? >> she didn't believe it. >> reporter: he is one of clinton's closest aides. >> i e-mailed her, i think it was the friday after election day after hearing it from two reporters. and i'm pretty sure her reply was something along the lines of, not for a million reasons. >> if she was hesitant, why not just say no? >> i think she did or came awfully close. i think the president was very persuasive. >> we're delighted to welcome senator clinton, secretary of state designate -- >> clinton was quickly confirmed. but how would she get along with the man who defeated her campaign? could she work for him? >> everyone expected, including myself, that there would be a lot of division, a lot of secretary clinton going behind the president's back. >> so was there any tension coming in between the two people at the top? >> i think everyone's been surprised. >> surprised that while secretary clinton and president obama have been separated ofte